Analysis of the Emulsifying Capacity of Low Methyl-Esterified Citrus Pectin in the Presence of Calcium Cations from Its Aggregates: Micelles

In this study, pectin was considered a soft matter, and the emulsification of low methyl-esterified citrus pectin (LMCP) was analyzed in the presence of calcium cations (Ca²⁺). The formulation of LMCP aggregates was called micelles, and they could be regarded as granular emulsifiers. The size and morphology of LMCP micelles were affected by the concentration of Ca²⁺, and this changed the emulsifying properties of LMCP. The particle size distribution range in LMCP solutions was first decreased and then increased with increasing Ca²⁺ concentrations from 0.00 to 10.00 mM. The concentration of Ca²⁺ affected the creaming index (CI) of emulsions and the size distribution of the emulsion droplets significantly. Tiny particles and cavities being detected on the oil droplet surface in cryo-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs illustrated that the stable emulsion could be considered a Pickering emulsion when different concentrations of Ca²⁺ were brought into the LMCP solution for the preparation of the emulsion.